Tanner Engstrand enters his fourth season with the Lions in 2023 and his first as the passing game coordinator.
In 2022, Engstrand oversaw the team's tight ends in addition to elevated responsibilities in the team's passing game. Detroit's tight ends combined for 12 touchdown receptions on the season, establishing a new single-season franchise record. The Lions also had three different tight ends produce a multi-touchdown game in 2022, becoming the first team in NFL history to do so.
Engstrand originally joined the Lions coaching staff during the 2020 season after most recently working as the offensive coordinator for the XFL's DC Defenders. Prior to his stint in the XFL, Engstrand was on staff at the University of Michigan as an offensive analyst.
Prior to joining the Wolverines, Engstrand served in a variety of roles at the University of San Diego for more than 10 seasons, including five seasons as the assistant head coach, seven seasons as the offensive coordinator and nine seasons as the quarterbacks coach.
He began his coaching career in 2005 as a graduate assistant at San Diego after playing quarterback for San Diego State between 2003-04 and at Grossmont College from 2000-2002, where he earned first team all-conference and academic All-American honors during the 2002 season. Engstrand earned his bachelor's degree in economics from SDSU in 2005 and also earned his master's degree in business administration from the University of San Diego in 2007.Â
He is married to his wife, Lauren, and they have one daughter, Paislyn and two sons, Wyatt, and Colton.
